1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water-jet propulsion personal watercraft (PWC). More particularly, the present invention relates to an air-guiding system configured to guide ambient air from outside the watercraft into a body of the watercraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, water-jet propulsion personal watercraft have been widely used in leisure, sport, rescue activities, and the like. The personal watercraft comprises a body including a hull and a deck covering the hull from above, and is provided with a straddle-type seat mounted over the deck. An opening is formed in the deck below the seat and configured to communicate with an inside of the body. A space within the body below the opening forms an engine room.
An engine is mounted within the engine room and configured to drive a water jet pump that propels the watercraft. The personal watercraft is configured to take air into the engine room from outside the watercraft for use in the engine through a gap between the seat and the deck and a gap between a cover of a compartment provided on a front portion of the deck and the deck.
Both the gap between the seat and the deck and the gap between the cover of the compartment and the deck have a relatively small flow cross-sectional area of air, and it is therefore difficult to take in a large amount of air through these gaps. Especially when the engine is operating at a high speed, the air taken in from outside the body into the engine room may be insufficient, and hence the taken-in air within the engine may be correspondingly insufficient. Under this condition, the engine is incapable of achieving desired performance.
By providing a gap having a larger flow cross-sectional area, a larger amount of air can be smoothly taken in into the engine room. However, since the personal watercraft often travels in choppy water, the water tends to enter the engine room through such a gap. Thus, a need exists for a water-proofing structure.